The present invention generally relates to arbitrary waveform generators, and more specifically, to direct digital synthesis systems.
In various applications, it is useful to generate phase coherent analog signals and provide for a way to switch these signals on and off. Digitally synthesized signals are typically limited by a number of factors. When signals are digitally synthesized, processing systems may constrain the ability to directly produce high frequencies (e.g., over 2 GHz) as well as consistently maintaining timing of desired waveforms due to processing system exceptions, interrupts, variability in processing loads, and the like. One approach to creating higher frequency phase coherent signals includes using standard radio frequency generator (RF) and RF switches; however, RF switches can be difficult to accurately control, can consume a large amount of power, and increase thermal loads.